Plenty of Iowans are sick these days - but not very many are sick from the flu. And as Eric Hanson explains... there are two unusual reasons. This time of the year, we're usually fighting through the heart of flu season. And while that's the case across most of the country, it's not here. AT HER CLINIC ON INGERSOLL, JANAE BROWN'S NOTICED A TREND. It seems like we're having less flu this winter. A lot of viral infections though so we have patients that are coming in with coughs for three weeks. Test them for the flu and it's negative, thank goodness. AND IT'S NOT JUST HER OFFICE. IOWA'S RELATIVELY 'WELL'. BUT WE'RE AN ISLAND SURROUNDED BY A NATION OF SICKNESS. WHY? ONE REASON STARTS WITH THE BUILDINGS THAT ACT LIKE NEIGHBORHOO D PETRIE DISHES - ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. We know that school aged children are the primary reservoir and spreaders of the flu in our communities. So if we can get it stopped in that group, we actually protect the whole community. AND A FEW WEEKS AGO, OUR SUPER COLD SNAP WHEN TEMPS DROPPED TO 15 BELOW ACTED LIKE FLU ROAD BLOCK. KIDS STAYED HOME THOSE PRIME GERM- SPREADING DAYS AFTER RETURNING FROM GRANDMA'S HOUSE. BUT THERE'S A SECOND REASON. MORE MOMS AND DADS ARE VACCINATING THEIR KIDS. STATE ESTIMATES SHOW MORE IOWANS ROLLED UP THEIR SLEEVES THIS YEAR THAN THE LAST FEW - ESPECIALLY LAST OCTOBER, WHEN ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND EXTRA DOSES WERE ADMINISTERED . By getting those school aged kids vaccinated, we protect not only them but the whole community since they are the primary spreaders of this disease in our communities. BUT EXPERTS KNOW THE PEAK IS STILL A MONTH AWAY. AND JUST THIS WEEK, A CHILD DIED OF THE FLU. SO IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT THE SHOT? If you go get your vaccine now, you'll start making some antibodies right away and you'll have anitbodies by this weekend. BECAUSE DOCTORS AND NURSES ARE CONVINCED MORE VACCINES MEAN FEWER TRIPS TO THEIR OFFICES. It makes a huge difference if you get the flu shot. This year's flu strain that's creating the most troubles across Iowa is H1N1. That's the one that hit so hard back in 2009. It's especially nasty for kids, which is why they say the more vaccines kids get, the more road blocks they'll set up in schools to keep it from spreading around your town. Thanks, Eric.

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